UNIQUE EXPERIENCE in KYOTO: Making a Notebook from Scratch! | Traditional Japanese Bookbinding

[@travelmurmur]

How talented is Tsutomu-san? 🤩 What an amazing experience. Hope you enjoyed watching the whole process of making a notebook the Japanese way! What other unique experiences would you like us to do in Japan? 🇯🇵

[@travelmurmur]

Hi! Yoko-san is on Instagram: instagram.com/yokomazda?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y= Not sure if Tsutomu-san is!

[@henrykg]

Japanese way? It is normal bookbinding done in similar way on whole world.

[@travelmurmur]

@@henrykg it's made with Kimono fabric so it is the Japanese way! ☺️

[@henrykg]

@@travelmurmur We also cover books using silk. I would say that using rice glue is more Japanese way...

[@travelmurmur]

@@henrykg yep, that too! And kimono is traditionally Japanese too!

[@nogetomnoget1189]

Fantastic! Thank you

[@jen7662]

Something to be said when an artist shares their craft with you! Bravo to this craftsman.

[@travelmurmur]

Agreed 💯♥️

[@juliusdelacruz7549]

Will try this out

[@LoveNotWar]

Great video and I love your choice of kimono for your notebook! My daughter and I took two different classes (temple stamp book making and the same notebook book making as shown in your video) with Tsutomo and Yoko in late December 2022 and thoroughly enjoyed both sessions. We are planning to go back to learn more from them in May 2023 ❤❤

[@travelmurmur]

Thank you! I fell in love with that kimono fabric as soon as I saw it ☺️ Ah, so jealous! The temple stamp book making sounds amazing! Please say hi to Tsutomu and Yoko for us ❤️

[@hor6teen]

This was so cute. Very special experience. And... Isn't this notebook like the best souvenir EVER?

[@travelmurmur]

Right?! The best souvenir we could ever ask for!

[@shellyp8731]

Thank you for sharing this! What a special day you had learning from a master book binder! 🥰

[@travelmurmur]

It was a very special day! Thank you for watching!

[@robinlathim8221]

What a beautiful experience with such lovely and talented people...just awesome! ❤

[@travelmurmur]

Thank you! It was a wonderful experience. We could do it again tomorrow! ♥️

[@PrimaDewi]

Obsessed ❤️ If I have experience this, the notebook will remain on my bookshelf bcs it's precious experience things that happens to me. Because it's not just notebook i made from scratch but all the material has its value. Anyway, thanks for the video ❤❤ it's beautiful

[@travelmurmur]

You're right! We will cherish these notebooks forever! ♥️ Thank you for watching!

[@koalafan1576]

Those are definitely much nicer then the case binding books I’ve made.

[@travelmurmur]

I'm sure yours are just as nice!

[@apollosix]

Beautiful

[@travelmurmur]

♥️

[@samcollage7682]

What a wonderful experience. Thank you.

[@travelmurmur]

Thank you for watching!

[@Lovely_lulu_]

Oh my heart..I love this ❤

[@travelmurmur]

🥰

[@andreatthatsme]

😢😢😢thank you. I miss Japan so much. I miss the humble people that share their hearts. 😢😢 I lived in Kyushu for 4 years. I did pass through Kyoto at some point. I often wish I never left Japan. I miss the food too...😢 I have a lot of questions but for now I want to know: - Do many people speak English? - Did you stay in hotel, air b&b, or hostel? And how much? - If I go, how much money should I bring for 10 day stay? - Was it easy to get around - bus, train, taxi, rental car? - Did you pay for a class from sensai Tsutomu-san? If so, how much. I would love to go to Kyoto. I will send email later if I have more questions. Thank you so very much. I'm glad I found this video.😊

[@travelmurmur]

We miss Japan so much, too! 😭 To answer your questions: - Most people are too shy to speak English so don't expect them to! We talk about this in our Japan Travel Tips video! - We mention all the hotels and other accommodations we stayed at in our videos. If you watch the series, we show you every single place we stayed at! It was a mix of hotels, accommodations and houses. - Money: it depends on what you want to do, where you want to go and where you want to stay. Japan is expensive in terms of stays so expect to spend at least $1.5k. - It was very easy to get around and we travelled by train and bus as well as ferry and obviously on foot! - We did, yes, check the link in the description :) We spent around £30, I think. Hope you get to visit Kyoto soon! Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@KeiPalace]

something I would love to do when visiting Kyoto

[@travelmurmur]

You should definitely do it!

[@elisadelalas4243]

This is so nice. I would definitely go there!❤

[@travelmurmur]

Hope you get to one day!

[@phyllisjeanfulton]

I’m an American learning BookMaking. I’ve enjoyed your demonstration. I wish I could be in the man’s class. !!! ❤

[@travelmurmur]

Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it ☺️ Hopefully one day you can also do this class! Good luck with your bookmaking journey 🤗

[@sharonsmith2330]

Beautiful workmanship !!!!!!!!!!❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@travelmurmur]

♥️

[@mr.nobody6059]

it's nice to see someone have passion in their life like this. i made my own thread binding notebook also and sell it. problem is, it's so hard to get a nice creamy paper color here, so i just use HVS instead with different thickness from 70 to 100 gsm. still using box cutter to trim the edge, not as neat as machine cut but i think that's the plus point. it's more like a handmade, a piece of art with that bit rough edge.

[@travelmurmur]

Love rough edges! I'm sure yours looks great 😃

[@aff8976]

What a special experience and such stunning books!! 😊

[@travelmurmur]

The best experience for a booknerd 🤓🇯🇵

[@daniellehaggard7401]

That was an awesome summary. Thank you for sharing!

[@travelmurmur]

Thank you for watching! Glad you enjoyed it 😊

[@memejs87]

This is amazing! I hope they’re still offering this experience in 2024, when I’m planning to go to Japan.

[@travelmurmur]

I'm sure they will! 🥰

[@boris8857]

Your books look beautiful. I am so excited as I have actually got this activity booked next month. Excited!

[@travelmurmur]

Ah, so excited for you! I'm sure yours will look beautiful too! Do send us a photo on Instagram, we'd love to see it. And say hi to Yoko and Mr. Tsutomu for us!

[@LaurenJason]

This was such a cool video! We loved how detailed they are with how they make their notebooks. This seems like a really fantastic experience 😀

[@travelmurmur]

Thanks, it was truly fascinating! ❤️

[@cameronbourke456]

We did this in 2020. It’s an amazing experience

[@travelmurmur]

It is ☺️

[@kimnkal]

That was wonderful! I am not sure I can get to Kyoto soon but would dearly love to experience this myself when I do! Thank you for the lovely video.

[@travelmurmur]

Thanks so much! We hope you get to have this experience one day, too! ☺️

[@joaodias8933]

What an amazing experience. They were so nice and cute!!!! 🥰 I was so glad watching it, they look so happy! 📙 Another great video ☺️☺️

[@travelmurmur]

Yoko and Tsutomu are amazing! 😊 So glad you enjoyed it! ❤️

[@lisal8870]

I wish I had know about this class when I was in Kyoto...this would have been fantastic!!! Is there any information on how the Kimono Fabric was prepared to be used as book fabric?

[@travelmurmur]

Aw, hopefully next time! They cut up the fabric and then add a special glue (I can't be sure what glue it is and how much they use) and then a sheet of paper on top :)

[@travelmurmur]

🌐 JAPAN WIRELESS POCKET WIFI: This is the pocket wi-fi we use on our trips to Japan! We get a small commission if you use our link ♥️ www.japan-wireless.com/?via=travel-murmur

[@marcisaacs9407]

Thank you so much

[@travelmurmur]

You're very welcome!

[@vagueconcept19]

OMG! Imagine having a self-crafted journal. This makes journaling even better! 😍😍 The whole process is by far more interesting (and hard) as one would assume^^

[@travelmurmur]

Absolutely! It's great to know the hard work that goes on behind the scenes. And this is definitely the most special souvenir ever! And the most precious 🤩

[@cindyhoneyman8259]

I would love to do this. Awesome!

[@travelmurmur]

Hope one day you get to do it too! 😊

[@einstein76]

Thanks!

[@travelmurmur]

❤️

[@glendapaul8040]

That was very interesting thanks

[@travelmurmur]

Glad you enjoyed it 😊

[@IronEarthDesigns]

Beautiful work!

[@travelmurmur]

♥️

[@jariseri5583]

Love the video, learnt song with the master and your guys. Any more trips for art and craft in Japan? I’m really into it and want o make a trip just for that.

[@travelmurmur]

Thank you 😊 there are so many other classes you can take, from origami to making a kimono 👘 ceramics to calligraphy and making your own maneki neko! 🐱 It sounds amazing, booking a trip to Japan just to do some arts & crafts!

[@jariseri5583]

@@travelmurmur how do you find & book for all the classes you mention?

[@lobsterboy64]

this was amazing to watch :)

[@travelmurmur]

Glad you enjoyed it! ☺️

[@explorinwithlaurin]

This is such an awesome experience!! Such beautiful fabrics and satisfying process! We are traveling to the area in April and would love to do this as well! We will be sure to let them know you sent us if we make it! Really great video-thanks so much for sharing!

[@travelmurmur]

Amazing! April will be a beautiful time to visit Japan, I'm sure you'll have a wonderful time ❤️🇯🇵 And really hope you have time to do this, it's so satisfying and you get to make your own souvenir 😉 Do let us know if you do it! xx

[@MeditationParadiseASMR]

Awesome my friend 🦋🌼🥰❤️

[@travelmurmur]

Thank you 💐

[@ClimbingCaed]

Really good story telling!! I also really like your thumbnails

[@travelmurmur]

Thank you so much! ☺️

[@gingersneed2555]

Exquisite!❤

[@travelmurmur]

Thank you! :)

[@johnmitchelljr]

Good video. Is the fabric glued to paper? Thank you.

[@travelmurmur]

It is, yes! With a very thin coat of rice glue

[@lenanana8]

Does anyone know what is the name of this type of binding, and whether it is unique to Kyoto? I'm seriously gobsmacked at this man's ability to make a casebound cover by eye without measuring the space between the spine piece and the cover piece and without using a ruler or drafting triangle to get them all straight. This is beautiful precision, my amateur bookbinding self is geeking out right now. Such a memorable experience to have, you are lucky!

[@travelmurmur]

Haha it sounds like you'd truly love this experience. Hope you get to do it one day! ☺️

[@lenanana8]

@@travelmurmur Nah, I've never been to Japan! I'm a bookbinder and I love the art of making and repairing books. Japanese craftmanship has a delicate precision that is unmatched in this world.

[@travelmurmur]

You could always try to go! You'd love it there if you appreciate good craftsmanship. Even normal packaging is extraordinary in Japan! Fingers cross you can make it there one day ☺️

[@tatianabogota4825]

Hi! This is amazing 😍. what is the name of the tool at the end?

[@travelmurmur]

It is! ❤️ not sure which one you're referring to? Is the one that binds the cover with the paper?

[@tatianabogota4825]

@@travelmurmur Yeah! I think it is a tool with heat, like a small arc that passes over the grooves of the finished and assembled notebook

[@travelmurmur]

@@tatianabogota4825 it's an antique cast iron. I can't find the exact name but that's what it is. It uses heat, you're right, and if you were doing it at home, you could use the edge of a normal iron to achieve a similar result 😊

[@tatianabogota4825]

@@travelmurmur Thank you so much! 🫶🏽🫶🏽🫶🏽Yeah! Currently I do it with an iron but I appreciate the tool and I said: I'm going to ask. Well, nothing, thanks for such a beautiful video, greetings from Colombia

[@travelmurmur]

@@tatianabogota4825 tsutomu-san has pretty cool tools! They're pretty rare nowadays! Glad you enjoyed the video and muchas, muchas gracias! ❤️

[@koalafan1576]

@4:32 did he really just press red to start the machine? Red for stop and green for go are internationally known and used.

[@travelmurmur]

Haha, yes! Funny you'd point that out/noticed he did it! I think it makes sense. Green would mean it's done ✅

[@koalafan1576]

@@travelmurmur that’s weird. Why would green mean it’s done? All around the world green means go, start or on. It’s not just an American thing. It’s international.

[@travelmurmur]

@@koalafan1576 well, this is a very old machine, I don't know why red would be the start button but it makes sense to me 🛑

[@inkland2003]

Modern glue based binding is a disaster. We still need the traditional binding technique

[@travelmurmur]

Absolutely!

[@nope24601]

This is Western book binding.

[@travelmurmur]

It is traditional Japanese bookbinding as per the title of the video! Why do you think it's Western? As someone with professional experience in the field, I can guarantee you it's not western.

[@einstein76]

Thanks!

[@travelmurmur]

Thank you so much, Judith, this is very generous of you! We truly appreciate your support!